I’m new and trying to decide what will work for me. I need to lose a lot of weight and maintain it in a reasonable zone.

In trying to figure out how to get my resistant metabolism to do something I ran across the concept of calorie cycling, and thus found your area. I did a quick scan through Dr. Johnson’s site, and read thorough the intro thread here. I hope you will help me with a few questions.

Dr. J’s site refers to a two-week induction phase, saying “limit yourself to no more than 500 calories on Down Days during this period”.

After “induction” then how does the plan change? Is this the time to increase the DD to as much as to 35% of your “Normal Calories” if the 500 calories is too difficult?

On Up Days, is the idea to attempt to eat amounts in the range of normal calories OR less, OR more?

How often is there supposed to be an adjustment to the “normal calorie” numbers?

As far as “induction” is it possible o accomplish (although not advisable) without using commercial shakes or bars? I understand the importance of the calorie limit, however I do not like the commercial products.

I would suggest you try it, like I did, using the calories that are suggested from several sites (there is a sticky at the top of the forum with info for this) and give it about 1 month to see what happens.

Baby steps and read as much as you can. There is a WEALTH of info on this forum and lots of the questions you are asking have been answered, and some many times over.

Start out with your calorie numbers that you have decided will work for you, do the first UD and DD and then go from there. You don't want to jump too far ahead until you see if this is a good fit for you or not. Don't get overwhelmed with thinking too far ahead and just do it one day at a time.

THIS ^^^ is what has worked for lots of us and I hope it works for you, too.

__________________
A man asked Gautama Buddha, "I want happiness." Buddha said, "First remove "I," that's Ego, then remove "want," that's Desire. See now you are left with only "Happiness.”

The plan doesn't really change after induction; Dr. J. just uses the word induction for the first 2 weeks when he wants us to use just bars and shakes.

As far as I understand it, the only reason Dr. J wants people to use shakes and bars the first two weeks is because he wants to make sure they are counting 500 correctly. Many JUDDDers (including myself) have used "real food" their first 2 weeks and just made sure they were counting everything carefully, and were fine.
Great to have you with us!!

I was unable to do 500 calories on my DDs for a long time, so if you can start out at 500, that's great. I had to work down to 500 calories, but over time I saw I was able to do 600 - 700 calorie DD and still lose.

The JUDDD calculator gave calorie numbers that were too high for me on UD, but I found that 1700-1800 UD calories worked great for me. I am 5'6.5" and not very active, btw.

I don't think very many people here used shakes and bars for the first two weeks. We mostly like to start with real foods, only having shakes and bars if we want them, not because they are a requirement for the woe. Dr. J probably thought it would be easier for newbies to keep track of calories if it was easily premeasured for them in the form of easy to eat shakes and bars. But feel free to use real food.

I may have missed some of the things you asked, but ask again if you still have questions after you read on the forum.

Welcome again!

__________________
Started JUDDD 10/12/11 after LC.MAINTENANCE since 11/12/11, & have lost more weight. I shake things up all the time with my version of Pirate Jenny's MUDDD, my "Fast 5" & other IF. ...low-moderate fat....and eating "healthy" foods 75+% of the time which lets me have real life and indulgences too I've reached my goals, improved my health & appearance, and enjoy my lifetime woe!